Twins: A Practical Guide to Parenting Multiples from Conception to preschool

Title page......Page 3
Contents......Page 6
Foreword......Page 9
Before your read on......Page 10
There\'s a pair in there: Finding out it\'s Twins......Page 13
Finding out it\'s twins: Our stories......Page 14
Adjusting to the news......Page 17
Pregnancy after fertility treatment......Page 19
Twin types......Page 22
Twin facts......Page 25
Twins are good for your health......Page 27
Surviving the news......Page 28
Tips for surviving the news that it\'s twins......Page 30
Turkey platters and toilet bowls: Pregnancy......Page 33
Pregnancy: our stories......Page 34
Development of a twin pregnancy......Page 38
Eating - What to eat and how much......Page 40
Sex......Page 44
Choosing your medical team......Page 45
Tests and procedures......Page 46
Pelvic floor muscle exercises......Page 50
Easing discomforts and dealing with difficulties......Page 52
Possible complications......Page 61
Tips for surviving a twin pregnancy......Page 73
Safety, cupboards and compost: Getting organised......Page 75
Private health cover......Page 76
Preparing older children......Page 77
Preparing your home for your babies\' arrival......Page 80
Making use of your time......Page 82
Equipment......Page 83
What will they wear?......Page 88
Nappies......Page 90
Wipes......Page 92
Car capsules/seats......Page 93
Pram/stroller......Page 95
Hammocks/swings......Page 96
Baby bouncers/Jolly Jumpers......Page 97
Toys......Page 98
Other items you may find useful......Page 99
Money-saving tips......Page 100
Safety Issues......Page 101
Tips for getting organised......Page 104
How will they get out? Birth......Page 107
Birth: Our stories......Page 108
Deciding how and when you will give birth......Page 113
When should your babies be born?......Page 115
Vaginal birth......Page 117
Caesarean birth......Page 123
Pain relief......Page 126
Tips for partners......Page 129
Why are you crying?: Hospital......Page 131
Hospital: Our stories......Page 132
Recovery......Page 138
Exercises to do in hospital......Page 142
Visitors......Page 144
Bonding......Page 146
How long do I daty in hospital?......Page 147
Tips for partners......Page 149
The right support: Breastfeeding......Page 151
Breastfeeding: Our stories......Page 152
Breastfeeding twins......Page 155
Potential problems......Page 166
Keeping your energy levels up......Page 168
Breastfeeding twins when you have a toddler......Page 170
Weaning......Page 172
Tips for partners......Page 175
Sixteen bottles sitting on the bench: Bottle-feeding......Page 177
Bottle-feeding: Our stories......Page 178
Bottle-feeding with formula......Page 179
Equipment......Page 182
How to bottle-feed......Page 184
Gastric Reflux......Page 185
Complementary feeds......Page 186
Tips for partners......Page 187
I\'m completely alone except for two babies: Home......Page 189
Home: Our stories......Page 190
Daily life......Page 194
What do I do with crying babies?......Page 198
Tips to calm a crying baby......Page 200
Gastro-oesophical Reflux Disease (GORD)......Page 201
Immunisations......Page 202
Getting out and about......Page 203
Tips for getting out in the early days......Page 205
Famous parents of twins......Page 206
Feeling very busy......Page 207
Getting it together......Page 208
Tips for partners......Page 209
Bert Newton is my new best friend: Motherhood......Page 211
Motherhood: Our stories......Page 212
Adapting to your new role......Page 216
Some ways to spend time on yourself......Page 217
Guilt, anxiety, depression and anger......Page 218
Postnatal depression......Page 221
Tips for partners......Page 226
Dynamics and dynamite: Relationships......Page 229
Relationships: Our stories......Page 230
Your partner......Page 231
Older children......Page 242
Other family members......Page 245
Friends......Page 246
Tips for partners......Page 247
The Blurry period: Sleep......Page 249
Sleep: Our stories......Page 250
Sleeping like a baby......Page 254
How much sleep do babies need?......Page 262
Unsettled babies......Page 265
Comfort settling......Page 266
From cots to beds......Page 272
Sleep schools......Page 274
Tips for partners......Page 275
Coming, ready or not: Pre-term babies......Page 277
Pre-term babies......Page 278
Care of pre-term babies......Page 282
Feeding pre-term babies......Page 285
Looking after pre-term babies......Page 291
Possible problems for pre-term twins......Page 292
Going home without your babies......Page 296
Tips for partners......Page 298
When bad things happen: Losing a twin......Page 301
When parents lose a twin......Page 302
When a child loses a twin......Page 305
Remembering the twin who dies......Page 307
Which one is which? The twin situation......Page 309
The twin situation: Our stories......Page 310
What is so different about parenting twins......Page 312
Managing your twins\' behaviour......Page 314
Twins\' friendships......Page 317
Preschool and kindergarten......Page 318
Are your twins ready for school?......Page 319
Language development......Page 322
What is it about being a twin that makes it different......Page 325
Actually, there are three...: Triplets......Page 329
Triplet facts......Page 330
Tips for triplet parents......Page 342
Notes......Page 343
Glossary......Page 347
Recommended reading......Page 351
Resources......Page 352
Acknowledgements......Page 360
Index......Page 362
Australian twin registry......Page 368